What an exciting and tremendous season turned in by the 1984-1985 BHS Varsity team!

By the end of the season, the Green and White were Border Conference Champions, Clark Tournament Large School Finalists, District E-Division II Champions, MIAA State Division II Finalists and Central Mass Sportsmanship Award winners!!!

The hoopsters were coming off a 15-8 Border Conference Championship season which graduated five seniors including 1,000 point scorer Gino Manzi who averaged 27.0 points per game as a senior, but returned 8 talented underclassmen with a dream of achieving something real special!

Determination, drive, spirit, great talent and most of all UNITY is what was to make this team one of the best which Bartlett fans have ever seen and one they will remember for a long time!!

The team was led by big Gary Lorkiewicz at 6’6”, forward 6'3” Ron Garry and Steve Costen, guards Bob Pina and Tom Chauvin – all seniors, as well as outstanding underclassmen guards, Tony Paranto, Ed Grzembski, Joe Rekowski and 6'3” forwards Jason Miglionico and Jason Giles and others.

As a team, this team had several similarities of past Bartlett teams: explosive fast break offense, several outstanding perimeter players especially Ed Grzembski and Bob Pina, fine guard play, excellent sportsmanlike behavior and winning attitude- as well as two uncommon BHS attributes in that its best defense was in the half court as well as an intimidating front court especially in the area of shot blocking and rebounding.

This team was made up of fine role players; depth became a key factor; team spirit along with UNITY; plus consistent statistics from several players (Ed Grzembski and Bob Pina at 18.0 ppg averages, Gary Lorkiewicz a monster rebound season), plus improvement of several others helped make this team to be one of the very best in the state during 1984-1985.

State Final game – again for BHS – since the legendary 1979 BHS State Championship season – what a feeling, what am accomplishment, what a dream season!

This team brought back the fever of that state championship season at BHS; it brought back great pride to the school and the community; and it revolved around a theme song “We are the Champions” by Queen; the motto of “In Pursuit of Excellence”; and drama of the movie “Rocky”!